Posted by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman) in Yeoman - Always Up Early

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Roman Alden (Science Chief, First Officer) in Yeoman - Always Up Early

(snip)

Roman chuckled. “Apparently you aren’t as informed as you’re said to be. My lab assistants refuse to touch my pets. Couldn’t get my rules down. And it doesn’t help that most of them are chemists, or astrologists, or physicists,” he told her. He knew of his reputation and while he didn’t actively try to propogate it, it was known that many of the lab assistants didn’t like how… particular he was.

Rand wasn’t sure if she should be insulted or not. If this was Carmichael, she would say he was teasing her, but she didn’t know Alden very well and so wasn’t sure. “Lt Cmdr of course I know about that. Not only is the rumor mill on this ship very active I see all the personnel reports. But they are still listed as your lab assistants. You have specific rules for a reason. Being particular is something to be aspired to not scoffed at,” she quoted herself, something she had said to a junior science officer who was complaining, but that had also complained about another lab tech that didn’t follow his protocols. “I would have thought, that a man of your efficiency would have either replaced them by now or made them to see the error of their lack of adherence. The protocols are put in place for a reason. If you like, I can get the inner department transfer forms for you. It would be quite simple since you are both the CSO and the lab lead. You need only sign twice.”

“I had a dog,” Roman said, a rare fact about his past personal life. “That is common for children with pets. What else is a child to do with an animal, hm?” He said to her. The dog had been a family pet, but in spirit it was his.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

“I suppose, Sir. Though I am happy to say I learned patience and gentleness from the experience.”
Yeoman Rand

Roman shook his head. “If they dislike me so much, they will request the transfer themselves. I will sign off on it if that’s what they want but I will not force them. …I suppose I feel bad, in a way.” Being particular is not something to be scoffed at. If only his lab assistants were so sensible. But it wasn’t like they sat around doing nothing at all. They had their own work and experiments to carry out, lab upkeep, and report writing. Roman had always been known for disliking writing reports. It was partially why, as much of a pain he thought Randy could be, he was glad he’d been allowed a yeoman at all. Normally, that privilege was reserved for Captains only.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Rand thought very hard about what she said next. If she could correct the captain then she could correct Alden. The prospect though was a lot scarier than the first time she corrected Carmichael. She took a deep breath and plunged in. This was her job after all. “I’m not talking about liking, Sir. I’m talking about refusal to do one’s duty, the willful ignoring of orders and protocol. Now that aside, this situation is not acceptable and must be fixed. Any other lab head could choose to work alone but you, Lt Cmdr Roman Alden, chief science officer and second in command of the USS Sentinel, can not.” Alden was getting a first hand look at that backbone that everyone had heard of but never saw. “Your experiments and work are important or you wouldn’t be doing them. But your first duty is as second in command. If you must take over the ship, lead a landing party, or are injured, or any number of scenarios, your experiments, and your animals,” her hand waves gracefully around at the cages, ending at Mushu, “must be properly taken care of. So we will find you a lab tech that can follow your procedures, knows the value of doing so, and has a background in biology in the event you have a prolonged absence from the lab.” She took another deep breath, “If you do not wish to put those officers on report for deraliction of duty, that is your call, Sir. But I will not be swayed from this.”
Yeoman Rand

Roman listened to Rand’s speech, and then he blinked. Once. Twice. Great. Now she sounds like her brother, he thought, and, infuriatingly, in the same way, he knew she was right. He took a long look at Mushu. At the rodent and the snake. And then the rest of the crates. And then back to Rand. The words he wanted to use weren’t coming to mind. Something that sounded leaderly. Something that didn’t make him look like a complete idiot. His duty… he was too new as an XO, used to being just a CSO. He hadn’t forgotten his duty to the ship, no… merely hadn’t thought it through. The way he handled his previous department wasn’t good enough, not anymore. And then came the words Rand probably did not expect. “You’re right. My experiments come second to the ship. They must always do so, and there must be someone trustworthy to handle them.” But was there? No one had been trusted with Roman’s experiments in three years. He’d had acceptable, even good, lab assistants and science officers in his department, he just didn’t let anyone touch his animals, generally. “Thank you, Yeoman, for your advice.” It was as if he used addressing people by their rank to distance himself from them.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO

Rand let out the breath she’d been holding slowly. Okay, from now on she was going to let Randy deal with Alden. “That’s why you have Randy and me. We can comb the personnel files for your criteria and then we will give you the files that fit. And in the meantime,” Rand looked slightly hesitant, “I’m happy to help.” She glanced at Mushu and then the small rodent. She wasn’t to thrilled about the bright red snake bit that was okay. “You have a lot of responsibility, the ship and a department. I imagine those two don’t always mesh well.” Rand honestly meant that. She knew both Carmichael and Alden were new to their positions and that’s why they had her and Randy, to help. “What’s next?”
Yeoman Rand

Roman wasn’t sure what was next, honestly. He could see the hesitation in Rand’s face, and he wondered if she didn’t like him. It would be the first time in quite a long time he really cared whether someone liked him or not. He almost said I can handle it, but he realized that would defeat the purpose of the entire conversation, wouldn’t it? “Let’s finish feeding these guys. Then, perhaps, review some personnel files.” The last thing he wanted to do. But maybe, just maybe, Rand had gotten through to the rather stubborn XO.

~ Lt Cmdr Alden, XO/CSO